Man: Police ignored me for “wrong guy” in Schenectady arson

A Times Union review of a deadly Schenectady arson that took four lives raises questions about whether the arrest of Robert A. Butler was the product of a hasty or misguided investigation in which police and federal agents disregarded leads about a second man who may have had a grudge against one of the victims.

That second man, Edward Leon of St. Johnsville, has not been identified by police as a suspect, nor has he been accused of having any role in the fatal fire. A person briefed on the case said Leon denied being near Schenectady at the time of the fire.

James Frolke, who never met Butler, called Schenectady police to tell them they may have made a mistake — and that they should be investigating Leon.

“In my gut, I know they had the wrong guy,” Frolke said. “It was days later when they called me back. I gave them all the information I had. … They said, well, we have pretty good information that this (Butler) is the guy and they pretty much dismissed what I had to say.”